1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to food processing, and more particularly to a sanitary wear button which can be incorporated into devices that form cheese blocks through the compression of cheese curd.
2. Description of the Prior Art
One method of forming natural cheese is through the compression of cheese curd under its own weight in a tubular column. Specifically, curd is directed to a drain table or drain belt where most of the whey drains off such that a matt of curd is formed. The matt is cut up into small pieces or broken up into granular form, and then it is subsequently mixed with salt or other additives to provide flavoring and to extract residual whey. Once the desired flavor has been achieved, the curd is introduced into a perforated tubular column supported within a chamber under vacuum, such that a pillar of curd is formed within the tubular column. The vacuum functions to draw the cheese curd into the chamber from the drain table. Additionally, the vacuum serves to compact the cheese in the tubular column, and to draw additional whey out of and away from the forming pillar of cheese curd. As the height of the pillar of curd increases within the tubular column, the curd in the lower portion of the pillar is compressed by the weight of superimposed curd such that additional whey is pressed out of the pillar and the curd is consolidated into a cheese pillar. The cheese pillar is then lowered through an opening in the bottom of the column and a knife blade or guillotine located adjacent the bottom of the tubular column is activated to cut the cheese pillar into blocks as the pillar is lowered out of the column.
The guillotine is linearly movable between a closed position which closes the opening in the bottom of the column and an open position in which the bottom of the column is open to allow the cheese pillar to pass through. The guillotine comprises a stainless steel blade which slides in plastic, U-shaped channels adjacent the opening in the bottom of the column. The guide channels are attached within a chamber such that the cheese cutting process can be carried out under sanitary conditions. A pneumatic cylinder or similar device is used to actuate the blade.
Stainless steel components have a tendency to scratch when in sliding contact with other stainless steel components. In the food industry, these scratches can serve as sites for the formation and growth of bacteria which can result in contamination of the cheese blocks. To inhibit the formation and growth of bacteria in this manner, the United States Department of Agriculture has required that metal to metal interfaces such as these be separated by a wear strip or similar article. With respect to a guillotine blade which slides in channels within a cheese block former, the solution which is currently the standard in the industry is to line the inner surface of each U-shaped channel with a gasket. Typically, these gaskets are formed of rubber and glued into place. Although gaskets such as these are acceptable in preventing contact between the blade and the channels, the gaskets eventually wear out or become damaged due to the friction between the gaskets and the blade. Replacement of these gaskets usually entails disassembly of the cheese block former to a point where the U-shaped channels are accessible. In many cases, disassembly requires removal of the entire tower portion of the cheese block former. Once the channels are accessible, the gaskets can be replaced. Because the gaskets are glued into place, removal generally requires burning or buffing out glue residue before new gaskets are attached. In any event, the entire process of breaking down the cheese block former and replacing worn out gaskets can result in a down time of three to four days.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus for preventing contact between sliding portions of a food processing device without the need for a gasket which must be glued or otherwise attached and which can only be replaced through significant downtime of the device. The apparatus should be configured to be installed without the need for glue or other similar attachment compound. Downtime for replacement of the device should be minimized. The apparatus should also be configured so as not to serve as a site for the formation and growth of bacteria or other substances which can contaminate food substances.